by Kelly Monteith

Created on: September 13, 2010

The single fear the New York Rangers fans have is a repeat performance of last season; the start was the high, the end  a low, with an overworked goaltender, a rash of injuries, a poor defensive core, and one or two forwards who could put the puck in the net.

Well, Rangers fans, guess what? Your fears are about to come true.Yes the season looked promising, for after watching your number one goalie go down in flames because the backup couldn't do much better, GM Glen Sather went out and signed a goalie who can spell Henrik Lundqvist a game here and there in Martin Biron, but after that it looks like the rest of the team will do little to make the horror show of last spring a thing of the past.

Sure, the only bright spot may have been Forward Marian Gaborik, who kept his end of the bargain by putting the puck in the net, and the coming out party of Ryan Callahan and Michael Del Zotto, but where was Chris Drury, who have lost a step, and Defense Wade Redden, who no doubt has not been the player he was in Ottawa, and after signing both Drury and Redden to no-trade contract have literally tied the hand of management.

There are no salary cap issues in New York, but spending has been foolish, both in seasons past and now the present, with the signing of Derek Boogaard to a four-year, $6.6-million contract surely must have every Rangers fan shaking their head in disbelief, when that money could have been better spent in acquiring a goal-scorer, and we know they're out there.

Many beleived Glen Sathers days were numbered, but it looks like ownership has a soft heart, and how long  before coach John Tortorella explodes and goes into another of his tyrates, or better still how long before the players finally tune him out.

Long term contracts with huge salaries have hand-cuffed the team, and with no chance of another team willing to take them on, the Rangers may have to bury those contracts and send players down to the minors.

Injuries were a key factor in the Rangers bid to make the post-season last spring, so the number one key for this season is a healthy group of players, after all , it wasn't until after the Olympic break until player such as Brandon Dubinsky who were able to put the puck in the net, but by that time it was too late.

Here's hoping this season, those who underachieved have a stronger campaign, but with little done in the summer the Rangers may have watched as the other teams both in their conference and in their division pass them by.

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